Latest news with #airbags
BreakingNews.ie
2 days ago
- Automotive
- BreakingNews.ie
Many Irish Citroen drivers still not responding to lethal airbag recall
Citroën Ireland says that it is 'well over halfway through' dealing with the cars affected by a serious stop-drive notice because they are fitted with airbags from the now-defunct Japanese company Takata, which can be deadly. However, Colin Sheridan of Gowan Auto — which is the privately-owned distributor for Citroën in Ireland — told 'There is still a sizeable number of drivers who haven't yet been to their dealership. Some are on their third official letter, and many of those are registered letters which have been signed for, so we know that someone is getting them.' Advertisement The safety issue at the heart of all this revolves around the airbags fitted to Citroën C3, Citroën DS3, and DS 3 models made between 2009 and 2019. Those cars were fitted with airbags made by the Japanese company Takata, which has been at the centre of a global scandal involving its airbags since 2013. In 2013, following a spate of deaths involving cars equipped with Takata airbags, it was found that because the company — which declared bankruptcy in 2017 — had been cutting corners in its manufacturing, its airbags could spew shrapnel, made up of tiny pieces of the airbag mechanism, if the airbag inflated in an accident. That shrapnel could cause serious, even fatal, injuries, and it's estimated that at least 35 people have been killed, worldwide, by these faulty airbags, with around 400 people injured. The scandal triggered the recall of more than 100 million cars around the world, involving brands such as Honda, Ford, and Mercedes-Benz. Citroën's latest emergency measure comes as it appears that the airbags contain chemicals that may deteriorate over time, which could cause the inflator to rupture and lead to serious injury. The most recent incident occurred when a woman in Reims, driving a Citroën C3, was killed when her airbag inflated following a minor collision in June. The Takata airbags use ammonium nitrate gas for the instantaneous inflation that's designed to prevent injury. But the gas can deteriorate in hot and humid conditions, leading to a too-powerful explosion which flings the deadly shrapnel straight at the driver. Advertisement Gowan Auto said 1,869 cars are affected here, and all owners who will be contacted by Citroën will have to stop driving their cars until a repair can be organised. However, Gowan seems to be avoiding the pitfalls in this recall, which have affected Citroën in France and the UK. Stellantis Group, which owns the Citroën brand, has been sharply criticised by consumer organisations in France for not tackling the problem sooner. Meanwhile, Citroën in the UK — where some 120,000 cars are affected — has also been criticised for not being able to provide sufficient courtesy cars. Citroën UK has said that it will prioritise courtesy cars for those 'most in need' but has then not specified precisely what that means. In the UK, many Citroën owners are reporting delays in getting an appointment for an airbag replacement t of as long as six months, stretching into January 2026. Here, that seems not to be an issue. Sherdian told The Irish Times that Citroën's dealers here now have the replacement of the dangerous airbags down to a fine art, and that in most cases an appointment should be available on a 'next-day' basis, or even sometimes on the same day. Advertisement In theory, Citroën's dealers here will arrange to collect the car on a flat-bed or tow-truck, as the stop-drive order is a serious one, and it's considered dangerous to drive these cars until the faulty airbags have been replaced. Nonetheless, it seems that some Citroën owners are ignoring this and simply driving their cars to the dealership. A question mark remains over insurance in such circumstances. While Gowan Auto says that it's 'unaware of any insurance issues', in theory, there is a legal obligation not to drive the car, and continuing to do so could invalidate your insurance and even potentially lead to a fine. Theoretically, if a car is declared unsafe to drive by its manufacturer, then under EU regulations, its insurance would be invalid. Those affected by this stop-drive order are advised to immediately contact their insurer for advice. Lifestyle What every Irish motorist needs to know: What to d... Read More The repair itself takes officially less than two hours, and in some cases, Sheridan said that dealers and their technicians have refined the art of airbag replacement so that it can take mere minutes. Only a handful of bolts need to be undone, and the faulty airbags are then placed in a secure box to avoid any potential detonation or injury. In some cases, the work can be carried out at the car owner's home. If you're unsure as to whether or not your car is involved in the stop-drive order, Citroën Ireland has a dedicated section of its website where you can enter your car's Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which is usually to be found on the passenger side of the dashboard, beneath the windscreen. You can access the dedicated web page here: Advertisement As to those remaining drivers who continue to ignore letters informing them of the stop-drive order and asking them to bring their car in for the necessary repairs, it remains to be seen what can be done. Sheridan told The Irish Times that among the group of private Citroën importers, Gowan Auto is ahead of its targets, set by Citroën and Stellantis, for reaching people, and that a fourth round of letters will be sent out, most likely by registered post once again. 'It's 65 million vehicles around the world which have been affected by Takata' Sheridan told The Irish Times. 'There are 35 car manufacturers involved, so this is a big, sizeable job to get done, and we're well on the way to doing so, and ahead of where we need to be on the curve, just at this moment in time.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Car dealers halt sales of two second-hand models amid 'stop-drive' warning
Car dealers have been told to halt sales of second-hand Citroens amid replacements to potentially dangerous airbags. The warning was extended after the French manufacturer's parent company Stellantis issued a 'stop-drive' notice to certain Citroen models in June. It comes after a woman sustained fatal injuries caused by an airbag in a 2014 Citroen C3 in Reims, France, last year. Now, second-hand Citroens are also being included in the warning amid thousands still being listed for sale across the UK, according to This is Money. 'Buyers could have been driving away in potentially dangerous motors while also invalidating their insurance,' an article states. Since then, a team of motor trade lawyers have now issued a nationwide warning to used car dealers to suspend sales of vehicles in stock What Citroens are being recalled? The vehicles affected are second-generation Citroen C3s produced from 2009 to 2016 and first-generation DS3s manufactured from 2016 to 2019. As a result, around 82,000 C3 and DS3 models have been removed from the road across France. What is the recall on the Citroen C3 2025? The vehicles use Takata airbag systems, which could be faulty. However, Stellantis UK said that there were no reported incidents of faults in the UK, but it has decided to take action regardless. The car manufacturer in a recent statement said: 'Stellantis UK is mobilising its full network of suppliers, retailers and manufacturing plant to support this action to ensure the fastest, safest and most convenient solution for each customer. 'Stellantis remains fully committed to acting swiftly, transparently, and responsibly in addressing this issue.' Owners have been told to book their vehicles in to be rectified as early as possible and to not drive them in the meantime. However, a study by Which? revealed that hundreds of these cars were listed for sale on major used vehicle websites with no information that the manufacturer had issued a stop-drive notice. How do I check my Citroen recall? If you already own an affected Citroen, you should be contacted by letter, or you can check whether your car is affected by using the VIN check tool on Citroen's website. Recommended Reading: Citroen C3 drivers told 'stop driving' due to airbag fault How you could get a roadside fine amid new DVSA changes DVLA issues warning to anyone who passed their driving test before 2015 You will need the vehicle identification number (VIN). You can find this: at point 1 on your MOT certificate in part 4 (vehicle details) at point E in the vehicle's log book (V5C) A spokesperson from Stellantis said that they were 'working to maximise' the number of vehicles it can repair each day, with priority given to those with urgent needs.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Family stranded on holiday after car recalled over unsafe airbags
A motorist said she had to pay £1,000 to have her car towed more than 150 miles (240km) home after finding out her airbags were Drinkwater, from Harrogate, was at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on 5 July when she received a message from her insurance company saying her Citroen car had a "stop drive" the parent company of Citroen, issued the notice for 120,000 of its vehicles in the UK after a woman was killed in a crash in France when her airbag Drinkwater, 38, said: "It's scary to think about what could have happened if I had been in an accident and the airbags had gone off. They're supposed to save your life, not take your life." Ms Drinkwater said she was told a chemical fault meant the airbags – made by the now-defunct Japanese airbag maker Takata - could explode without warning,It is thought that 35 people have been killed by Takata airbags around the world, and some 100 million vehicles have been recalled in various scandal was mainly focused in the US and has belatedly hit Europe over the last two years, with the UK arm of Stellantis now also issuing a stop drive Drinkwater, who had travelled to Silverstone with her partner and stepson, said she had waited four days to find a company to tow her car and caravan back to North Yorkshire, having to take extra time off work as a result."It has been a complete nightmare and I don't even know if I'll get any compensation," she said. She said while she waited for the airbags to be replaced her usual one-hour journey to visit her mother 33 miles (53km) away in Wakefield had become a six-hour round trip by public transport."I care for my mum as she has kidney failure and usually do her food shopping, but had to order shopping online to be sent to her home while I was stranded as I couldn't get back to help her," she said."I feel very angry at how the whole situation has been handled, as it has been a massive inconvenience."They've sold people cars that are a risk to life with faulty parts and then we are the ones out of pocket having to pay for an issue that was their fault." Ms Drinkwater said she was fortunate the airbags in her vehicle had now been replaced as some some people were facing lengthy waits.A spokesperson for Stellantis said the company's focus "remains on completing the replacement of airbags in affected vehicles as swiftly as possible".They said: "It is inevitable, with such a large number of vehicles affected, that customers could be inconvenienced in the short term."However, we are deploying a variety of options to support mobility, recognising that every driver will have individual requirements, and that priority needs to be given to customers with the most urgent needs." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Reuters
18-07-2025
- Automotive
- Reuters
Swedish airbags maker Autoliv raises sales outlook after Q2 profit grows
STOCKHOLM, July 18 (Reuters) - Sweden's Autoliv (ALV.N), opens new tab, raised its full-year sales guidance on Friday and said it had compensated for most of its tariff related costs in the second quarter, as it reported a profit for the period that matched expectations. Adjusted operating profit at the world's largest maker of airbags and seatbelts grew to $251 million from a year-earlier $221 million, in line a mean forecast in a poll of analysts provided by Autoliv, on organic sales growth of 3%. "We recovered around 80% of tariff costs in the second quarter, and we expect to recover most of what remains later in the year," CEO Mikael Bratt said. "We remain confident that we can continue to successfully receive compensation from our customers for tariffs, although the industry outlook for tariffs is uncertain," he said. Pointing to these tariff compensations, Autoliv said it now sees organic sales growth this year of around 3%. Its previous forecast, last reiterated in April, was for 2%.
Reuters
18-07-2025
- Automotive
- Reuters
Swedish Autoliv raises sales outlook after Q2 profit grows in line with expectations
STOCKHOLM, July 18 (Reuters) - Sweden's Autoliv (ALV.N), opens new tab, raised its full-year sales guidance on Friday and said it had passed on most of its tariff related costs to customers in the second quarter as it reported a profit for the period that matched expectations. Adjusted operating profit at the world's largest maker of airbags and seatbelts grew to $251 million from a year-earlier $221 million, in line a mean forecast in a poll of analysts provided by Autoliv.
